Boynton Beach's Galaxy Elementary moving toward new building in 2012

The school was slated to close, but residents persuaded the district to keep it open and modernize it

February 15, 2010|By Marc Freeman, Sun Sentinel

The rebirth of Galaxy Elementary School in Boynton Beach — a 52-year-old campus once marked for destruction — is on track for August 2012, thanks to major project and cost changes.

Construction is tentatively set to start April 2011 on a $27 million replacement school that will serve 500 students with the space to add another 200 pupils later on.

"It means the world to so many residents who have such a long history in the city," Boynton Beach City Commissioner Marlene Ross said.

Six months ago, the Palm Beach County School Board approved a $33 million budget for the long-awaited modernization project. The board recently asked administrators to reduce building costs by making the new school smaller than the size of a typical 970-student school.

Last week, the board voted 5-2 to reaffirm its commitment to Galaxy by agreeing to a land swap deal with the city of Boynton Beach. Board members Paulette Burdick and Sandra Richmond dissented.

Under the terms, the city will allow the school district to acquire an existing 4-acre park next to Galaxy at no cost. The park property will be used for the replacement school.

This means that during construction, Galaxy's 450 students will be able to remain in the existing school, at the northeast corner of Boynton Beach Boulevard and Interstate 95, rather than being bused to another school for a year.

That's a savings to the district of about $200,000, said Joseph Sanches, chief of facilities management.

After the new Galaxy opens, the district will provide 4 acres to the city and spend up to $630,000 for a replacement park. The final cost could be lower if the city contributes some funding.

Students will always have priority use of the park when school is open, City Manager Kurt Bressner said. The city will pay for park maintenance.

The district will not have to spend up to $150,000 for school recreation fields because it will use the city park, Sanches said.

"The district will end up just about breaking even on the upfront cost and ahead of the game on the long-term maintenance costs," Sanches said of the park terms.

But Burdick blasted the deal and the overall decision to replace Galaxy, which started in 1958 as Boynton Beach Junior High and later was converted to the elementary school.

"Economic indicators are down," Burdick said. "There's no bottom yet. It's not a feasible plan at this time."

Burdick also said the district should focus first on replacing Gove Elementary in Belle Glade.

Chief Operating Officer Joseph Moore said the board last year already committed to spending $34.3 million on a new school project for the Glades. The specifics of the project, which could include Gove improvements, are being studied by administrators, he said.

In late 2007, the board voted to close Galaxy as part of a cost-cutting measure. But the board quickly reconsidered after lobbying from residents, parents and church leaders from the neighborhoods of Poinciana Heights, Boynton Hills, Boynton Terrace, Ridgewood and Martin Luther King Jr.

It would have been the first school closing in decades.

Now Galaxy is poised to serve more generations of Boynton Beach families, and possibly survivors of the earthquake in Haiti who move to the area, Superintendent Art Johnson said.

The district also plans to open an Energy, Environmental and Engineering choice program at the school.